Unless you’ve had your head in a hole for the last couple of weeks, you will know that the annual GBBO shindig is now in full swing. We’ve done cakes and also biscuits, so this week must be Bread Week!

For all the gluten-eating bread-bakers out there, this is the week where gluten really comes into its own, as you pummel, pull and contort your dough to develop its stretch and turn it into all sorts of wondrous creations. Good luck all!

For us gluten-avoiders, it is the week which spells trepidation and leaves us watching from the sidelines. With gluten free bread being such a tricky beast, I usually look on with envy at the one thing I can’t ‘do’ with flair and artiness.

Sure, there are plenty of gluten ‘replacers’ we can use to help bind and hold together our bakes (xanthan gum, guar gum, chia, psyllium, etc), but none truly give gluten free bread dough comparable properties…… and this leaves me a tad frustrated.

Whilst I have developed some amazing gluten free loaves….. my Brown Bread being the one we swear by (and live off) in GF HQ, the opportunity to get truly creative and ‘pretty’ with bread has been elusive……. until now!

A few weeks back, I set about tweaking my old fave a little to develop a new loaf using a different blend of flours. Nothing dramatic, but the tweaks have produced a gorgeous bread with a slightly lighter flavour, yet still made with a healthy wholesome flour blend incorporating Teff flour (a great source of fibre, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin and vitamin C (and lots of other good stuff)),Oat flour (great for lowering cholesterol, stabilising blood sugar, and packed full of essential vitamins and minerals), and Millet flour, which acts as a prebiotic and is good source of magnesium (supports a healthy heart),and other essential nutrients.

Not only is this bread good for you (and way better than your average shop-bought loaf), but it also has an amazingly soft, bready, pliable, hold-together texture, which makes for great sandwiches that can most definitely be eaten ‘on the run’ without fear of heading gutter-ward due to disintegration.

This is a recipe which also makes delicious bread-tin baked loaves, a fantastic soft baguette, and perfect mini rolls.

I should be ecstatic….. Another gluten-free loaf which tastes amazing and is real bread! But it’s Bread Week and I want to be part of it too! Which got me thinking…….. How could I make a gluten free bread show-stopper that would not look ridiculously pathetic alongside all the others in the Bake-Off tent?

3am, two nights later (you know those sleepless blogger nights, dreaming of foodie creations and conundrums and hoping the quiet darkness will bring inspiration)……. I got it!

Most gluten free dough cannot be ‘moulded’ maybe, but being more like a paste, it would be perfect to pipe…..

I was desperate to get down to the kitchen to test the idea, but Mr and Miss GF would be less than impressed if I disturbed their sleep in the middle of the night to bake….. I had no choice but to wait until morning…..

I am so thrilled with the results…… My first batch was a selection of letters, hearts and flowers. I even tried a snail, but by the time it had risen, it looked like a deformed slug (no photos of that one then!)…. As we munched through a selection of shaped rolls for lunch, both myself and Miss GF (almost in unison) declared…. ‘these flower balls would be great for dipping in garlic butter.’ For sure…. they make brilliant tear and share mini rolls and could be dipped in any number of things, from olive oil and balsamic vinegar to houmous, salsa and yoghurt-based dips.

Which got me thinking again…… to make a bouquet of bread-ball flowers, perfect for an edible table centre-piece to accompany soup at a special dinner…… to be shared with friends at a party….. or even to enjoy with dips, cheese or spreads whilst watching a favourite film.

It may not be plaited and it may not be quite as stunning as Kate’s Corn Maiden or Benjamina’s Braided Bread Heart, but on the plus side, my bread has no less than six flours in there (twice as many as required by Paul and Mary). And whilst I don’t like to blow my own trumpet too often….. I can honestly say this is the most unusual shaped gluten free loaf I have ever seen (and possibly the best bread I have ever made).

And here it is…… my beautiful Gluten Free Bread Bouquet…… fit for a banquet or even the Bake Off Tent.

Method

Weigh and mix together all the flours, xanthan gum, salt, bicarbonate of soda, gelatine/vegegel, milk powder and yeast (I weigh all into an airtight container, seal and shake to get an even blend with no lumps). Set aside.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the honey and warm water (at 46 C/115 F). Beat with a whisk until well blended and airy.

Add the lemon juice, sunflower oil and dry ingredients and mix together well with a dough hook mixer attachment or wooden/silicone spoon until even. Continue to mix for a couple of minutes to allow the ingredients to amalgamate well.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

What a stunning creation! Totally worth getting out of bed early for! I love working with a mix of GF flours and find this piping idea brilliant, will surely try it when I make my next GF bake. Thanks for linking upto #TeaTimeTreats in Sept, the round up is now up!

This bread is amazing! I'm so keen to find out how you did for batter week, I have attempted my first gluten free yorkshires and churros, and whilst the churros were absolutely great, the yorkshires weren't even close to comparison with normal flour! Alice xxx

Wow! Once again I'm just so impressed with your creativity and determination to figure out how to make everything with GF flour. I always thought GF bread struggled to hold any sort of shape/definition, but you've proved that it's simply not the case, and it sounds really delicious too.

Absolutely amazing. I'd have been impressed had it been made out of regular bread dough, but given that this is gluten free I'm waaaay more than 'impressed'. I've tried making gluten free bread a couple of times so know at first hand that it's a tricky beast, so I'm absolutely and completely in awe of what you've made. Angela x

Thank you Angela. I feel like I am (after some years) finally getting to grips with good gluten free bread and have a handful of recipes which I feel really proud of…. the discovery that I can pipe the dough has just opened a world of possibilities!! x

such a beautiful bread centrepiece and the fact it is GF is fantastic. I LOVE your lightbulb moment at 3am about piping the dough – it has turned out so well too. Brilliant idea! And 6 flours – wow! so much effort and work but totally worth it for the results thank you for linking up to #GBBOBloggers2016 x

Thank you Gina. I have to admit most GF bread recipes are pretty dire. There is almost an expectation that people who have to eat GF will put up with it because we can't eat 'normal bread'. I have spent months (probably years) playing with flours and combinations of ingredients and I am really really happy with this recipe! It tastes amazing!! x

Oh my goodness, Kate that is GORGEOUS!!! And how clever of you to make that out of gluten-free bread. I've never attempted GF bread but I've read enough times about how hard it is to understand that this is GENIUS!! I would give you star baker in a flash!! And I am totally with you, with the dunking in garlic butter this – YUM!! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x

Thank you so much Eb. That is a lovely comment….. Piping the dough was surprisingly easy for such a pretty effect. I will certainly be piping my dough more often in the future, especially if I am making bread for a special occasion!

Wow that looks fantastic! I love the detail with the pumpkin seeds. The bread looks delicious too. I love the look of the crust. I've recently been using more oat flour in my baking too. Another on my 'must try' list 🙂

Thank you Katie. I was really pleased with how effective piping the dough was. And as for the bread itself…. it tastes lovely and has a great crumb. The definite advantage with smaller rolls is that you do get extra crusty crust too! x

Wow you are so clever and creative – I really love that bouquet – I wish I was more creative with my bread – always have the urge and then lack the energy – wonder if I could pipe my bread dough for my overnight which is too set to shape. And the crumb looks really good too. Or maybe I could save this for my next time I need to take food somewhere!

Thank you Johanna. Having tried it, I think you would be surprised how easy to is to pipe a wet dough! I will definitely be using the method when I want to make rolls and bread to impress from now on… x

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Welcome to Gluten Free Alchemist. I’m Kate – gluten free recipe developer, traveller, photographer, blogger and mum to a Coeliac teenager… living Coeliac life without limits. Join our family journey as I share recipe and travel adventures and as we support each other in overcoming life’s Coeliac hurdles. Read More…

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